A few weeks ago, Frontline premiered a documentary called “Digital Nation”. In one segment, the vice-principle of Intermediate School 339, Bronx, NY, Dan Ackerman, demonstrates how he “remotely monitors” the students’ laptops for “inappropriate use”. (his demonstration begins at 4:36)
He says “They don’t even realize we are watching,” “I always like to mess with them and take a picture,” and “9 times out of 10, THEY DUCK OUT OF THE WAY.”
He says the students “use it like it’s a mirror” and he watches. He says 6th and 7th graders have their cameras activated. It looks like the same software used by the Pennsylvania school that is being investigated for covertly spying on students through their webcams.
The shocking thing about this is that the privacy concerns were not even mentioned in the Frontline documentary!
This is beyond belief. The PBS documentary treats this as though it’s acceptable behavior. What is wrong with these people?
“What is wrong with these people?” Good question. The unwitting public assumes that PBS is operating in the public’s best interest. I would look at who is ‘underwriting’ this program. Nothing is free, including the cost of producing this show. There has to be some agenda.
Who “owns” the laptop / camera?
McCullough, I kept on reading through the comments to see if you’d ever get a fucking clue and realize that the monitoring shown in the video only took place IN THE CLASSROOM, and NOT at the student’s home. Alas, your tiny mind never appeared to be able to absorb this small but important fact.
When on school premises and using school equipment (as the notebooks were) its damn well acceptable for a remote desktop type program to be in use to make sure the students aren’t doing stuff that could not only impact on their learning, but to also prevent them from accessing sites that NO kid should ever be exposed to.
In the home, well thats a totally different story. NOBODY has the right to spy on kids like the pedophiles at the Lower Marion district were caught doing, nobody except the parents (though that would most likely never happen as most parents these days have no idea of how to parent).
As for chipping children, fine by me providing #1 ONLY the parents can access the location data
#2 The chips can release cyanide
What “inappropriate use” could the students be using these laptops for, that a webcam would show? Rude gestures? Dancing naked? And why do these school laptops even NEED a working webcam?
Seems they created the problem (or temptation), in order that they might have cause to snoop, inappropriately. Shut down the webcam drivers, and just monitor the network traffic for P2P, porn, and such.
When I was at school we didn’t have computers, just pens and paper. The teachers used to sometimes walk up and down the classroom to look over our shoulders. I always assumed it was to check we were working when they set us a task – never occurred to me they were actually doing that because they were paedophiles or control-freak agents of the state.
No myspace or instant messaging back then either, but we could have shouted across the classroom and passed messages and doddles amongst ourselves if it wasn’t for the unacceptable behaviour of our teachers.
Rereading the article, this Dan Ackerman sounds like a little tin plated god, of the school system. Setting a fine example of mistrust. All the while, NY governors are leaving office in disgrace.
He’s a little creepy, but nowhere near as bad as the people near Philly.
Comedy:
http://a1.phobos.apple.com/us/r1000/030/Purple/cc/53/c3/mzl.wscgfuzt.480×480-75.jpg
@#5they know they are being watched…they might not know when, but at 5:29 he is sending a message to one of the students telling them to get back to work.
#1
Is on the money.
The camera is on – if the student turns on the camera. If the student doesn’t want to be seen on the camera – they don’t need to open the camera based apps jeez.
These are computers owned by the school and used in class. Its the virtual equivalent of the teacher looking over your shoulder. I’m assuming a teacher looking over your shoulder is not an ‘invasion of privacy’ issue.
If it was a laptop out of class. Or if the camera could take photos/video remotely (ie without student running the app) – well then that’s not right.
Apples and Oranges, McCullough. These laptops are being used at school, where students should realize that they can be watched/monitored at any time. The PA case involves looking at kids while they are at home on their own time. Way different.
I love how the contributing editors on this site seem to only post for sensationalism, making correlations where there is none to be made, and getting people up in arms. I don’t even know why I keep bothering to come over here and read the articles at this point, it’s journalism at its WORST.
This is not “spying on children”, it’s supervision. It is the first job of any school.
This is not a coffee shop or even a workplace with adults working independently. This is a school with kids who have been entrusted to the care of the school.
The school has to be aware of everything that is happening on campus, because if something bad happens — and something bad always happens — the school will be held accountable.
This school is doing it right, mostly. If anything, there is not enough supervision because several students said they spent much of their time in chat rooms and playing games.
“This is not spying on kids this is “monitoring” kids to make sure they are doing their school work, it’s totally different.”
BWWWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAQHAHAHAHA “gasp” BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAQHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
“This is not spying on kids this is “monitoring” kids to make sure they are doing their school work, it’s totally different.”
BWWWAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAQHAHAHAHA “gasp” BWAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAQHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH
I do believe this is thee most idiotic, hypocritical comment I’ve ever seen on DU maybe even the internet. Keep believing that and when it’s turned around and used on you just remember “It’s OK”
wth
“sigh” nothing destroys a comment like double posting it.
The sad thing is this kind of rootkit \ software is used just about everywhere nowadays.. While it may not be for spying while your at school.. The majority of schools don’t adequately inform students.. Which as you can see from the case in PA is a bad move.. The bottom line when you go through task manager at school turn off all of those things you don’t know.. It is most likely spy software..
In Soviet Russia, school administrator is state security informant.
“Here’s ‘your’ computer. Take care of it, since it really belongs to ME. I’m letting you use it, but be aware that at any time, I can see you and tell what programs and progress you are making.
“If you don’t treat it with respect and care, I will know that, too. You can’t take it away, because chips inside it always know where it is. We provide it to you so you can get much better learning.”
What’s wrong with THAT?
Nobody’s “rights” are being violated. Nobody is being “spied on.” The transaction is not “Soviet.”
The only reason this story is being posted here is to inflame the issue.
Sigh. We come here wishing for something less than blog hypocrisy. Too often we get blog hypocrisy designed to do one thing only, and John has said this publicly: Drive Up The Numbers.
Whoops! I fell right into his clever trap.
actually I think the first job of a school is to educate. The first job of a babysitter is to supervise.
I have a HUGE PROBLEM with someone ‘sharing my desktop’ when I don’t know they are doing it…
When we are being ‘recorded’ on a telephone call we are supposed to hear a ‘beep’
How about a little flashing icon that signifies that someone is watching/monitoring/controlling/recording your desktop?
Only fair…
#32 Nth, you must not get on onine much, I’m sure you could find hypocritical (how is that one by the way?)statements within seconds on this site, if you knew the basics of how to use google (which it appears you lack).
Regardless of your imagined hideous crime existing on all of the Internet, the fact remains the same. That this no different than teachers ( pre-computers in classrooms)walking around checking on work progress vs doodling during class. A statement backed up in this comment section by several others.
Perhaps it’s time you pack your duffel and head up to your remote cabin in the wild. Your paranoia will get the better of you here, and I don’t think there is enough foil around to protect you in today’s civilization.